Warbird Information Exchange

Some great pics on this thread of a really interesting subject.

Slight thread jack: For those of you who've been on the restoration tour at the NMUSAF, how far in advance did you have to secure your spot? I've been up there a couple times, often on short notice for work and made my own side trip, but found the resto tour all booked up.

I normally book a few weeks or even months ahead of time. You can reserve a spot online through the museum website, then just present a printout of your confirmation e-mail when you get there (be sure you have a valid ID, or passport if you're a non-US citizen.)

They sometimes have room for walk-ins on the tour, either because it isn't fully booked, or there are no-shows. When I was there last month, they announced on the PA that there were some slots open, so I decided "what the heck" and joined the tour. Of course, just like flying "standby," you're taking your chances. Since I'd just taken the tour in March, it would have been no big deal if I'd gotten "bumped." If you really want to be sure and get on the tour, you'd do well to make your reservations as far in advance as possible..especially if you're visiting during the height of the tourist season or around major holidays.

The only real drawback is that it takes up the better part of half your day. The museum is open from 9:00 to 5:00, and for the Behind The Scenes tour you have to report for the security briefing around 11:45, and don't get back to the main museum until after 3:00. If you're like me and get to the museum a couple times a year, it's no big deal. But if your visit is a once-every-few-years (or once-in-a-lifetime) event you'll probably want to have as much time on the main campus as possible. If you've never been, plan on at least a couple of days (and even then you won't see everything!) It'll be nice once the fourth building is up, and the Presidential and experimental aircraft can all be at the main campus. Right now if you want to see those it's a bit of a headache, as you have to go through the security briefing, take a bus over, and can only spend an hour or so.

SN

Thanks Steve. I've been a couple times recently (Doolittle raiders reunion) and just on my own passing through for work. One time I went specifically for the museum and wound up spending all day, open until close, for three days (did manage to get on the R&D/Presidential tour) and still felt like I was a bit rushed. So looks like I'll have to try and book a resto tour well in advance and plan around that!

Then they'd blow a gasket over the XF-90. This sucker has actually been subjected to nuclear blasts THREE times! Of course, it's been thoroughly decontaminated..note that all the rivets were drilled out and the skins removed. Current plans are to eventually display it unrestored as it would have appeared on the nuke test range. I can understand that, considering how incomplete it is, but it's still a bit of a shame..it's such a pretty design.






Speaking of radium-dial instruments, if you look in the cockpits of all the NMUSAF aircraft, you'll see that every instrument has either a green or red dot..denoting if it's "hot" or not. The EPA apparently required them to do it back in the 80s. Fortunately, the rad levels and negligible, and don't even register outside the cockpit. Now I have read that some of those who worked in the factories where the dials were originally painted later died of various cancers, but they were subjected to much great exposure. I understand the women who would "touch up" the paint on the dials (which were screen printed) often developed tongue cancer later in life, because they would continually lick their paint brushes to get a point on them.

SN

StangStung, on the flip side of Steve's experience, I've had luck just asking to join the restoration tour first thing in the morning. It's worked three or four times so far. Of course you are probably better off calling ahead anyway.

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^^Lol!

Yeah, I've tried that method and it never worked out for me! They must've heard I like to discuss paint jobs!

But persistence pays, so I'll probably try and double up next time. Call ahead and double check about walking on!

LOL.., that looks like an A-26 tail on her.

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S.

If you have a look at Douglas products of the period, they almost ALL seem to have the same tail feathers, just scaled differently. Have a close look at the A-26, DC-4/5/6/7, BTD, AD-1, C-124...etc., etc. Tell me they don't all look like the same tail with a few refinements here and there. I first noticed it while taking a pic of the NMUSAF A-26 in the Korean War section with the C-124 tail in the backround. Pretty much the same.

I suppose putting it on the XB-42/43 would be no stretch then.

And what was up with the dual bubble canopy mentioned earlier in the thread that Douglas seemed so "into" at the time? Interesting evolutionary dead end.

Well off topic, but it's a story that goes around a lot, and has a true basis unlike most of them. Worth mentioning in getting it right, important in US and global precedent employee protection law.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radium_Girls

No, I didn't know the correct origin either, I just looked it up!

Regards,

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James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Thanks James..I was just passing along an old anecdote I once heard. As always, it's good to have the full story.

SN